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Power Wheels – owning one of these signified that your parents made an awful lot of money – these things were expensive. Furthermore, you could prove your status by driving one of these around the neighborhood, often to the dismay of your less fortunate neighbors.

 

Power Wheels were just your basic car – for kindergarteners. You had a gas pedal, a brake pedal, and a steering wheel, and just like Mom and Dad, you could drive yourself around the lawn or the sidewalk, at a kid-paced five miles an hour.

 

Introduced in the 1980’s, Power Wheels came in several different models. You could get all Indiana Jones with a Jeep or a dune buggy. There was a sophisticated, stylish luxury car and classic roadster for the more discerning preschooler. You could also pretend to break that five miles per hour speed limit with the sleek sports cars and motorcycle models.

 

More Power Wheels were created throughout the ‘80’s and into the ‘90’s, and product licensing came into play. Now you could drive around in your very own Batmobile or Barbie car. Power Wheels are still available in models such as the big Chevy Silverado with room for two, a custom-designed Harley-Davidson, and a weird car called the Wild Thing. They’re skewing younger now too, with toddler vehicles like the Rock & Roll Ride-On Trike – not only perfect for the one-year-old in your life, but cheaper now as well.